Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-12-11

The baron answers, 4 must positively
have command of money. Take your
choice, between marrying my lords income,
in the interest of my grand discoyery-or
leave me to sell myself and my title to the
first rich woman of low degree who is ready
to buy me. q,
1.-THE countess listens in surprise and
dismay. Is it possible that the baron IS In
earnest? He is horribly in earnest. The
woman will buy me- he says, is in the
next room to US at this moment. She Is
the wealthy widow of q Jewish usurer.
She has tee money l want to reach the
solution of the great problem. l have only
70 be that woman's husband, and to maze
myfelf master of untold millions Of gold.
Take five minutes to consider what l have
told Won, and tell me on my return which
of us is to marry for the money / want,
you or l.
GAS he turns away, the countess stops
him.
''AIl the noblest sentiments in her
nature are exalted to the highest pitch.
where is the true woman she exclalms'
who wants time to consummate the saerl-
fee of herself, when the man to whom she
is devoted demands ii" :,
She does not want five minutes; she
does not want five seconds-she holds out
her hand to him, and she says: 'Sacrihce
me on the altar OF your glory! Take as
stepping stonesOn the way to your TRIUMPH
NV love, my liberty and my life"
ION this grand situation the curtain falls
Judging by first act, Mr.. Westwick, tell
me truly. and don't be afraid of turning
nv head. Am l not capable of writing a
play?
Henry paused between the first and sec
ond acts-IetectiDg, not Oh the merits OF
the play, but on the strange resemblance
which the incidents so far presented to the
incidents that had attended the disastrous
marriage of the first Lord Monsbarry.
Was it possible that the Countess, IN the
present condition of her mind, supposed
herself to be exercising her invention
when she was only exercising her mem-
DRY?
The question involved consideration too
serious to be made the subject OF a hasty
decision. deserving his opinion Henry
turned the page and devoted himself to
the reading OF the next act. The manu-
script proceeded as follows:
THE second act opens at Venice. An
interval OF four months has elapsed since
the date of the scence at the gambling
table. The action now taxes place IN TIE
reception room Of ore OF the Venetian pal
aces
1.-The baron is discovered alone on the
stage. He reverts TO the events which have
happened since the close OF the first act
The countess has sacrificed herself; tue
merceuary marriage has taken place-but
net without obstacles caused by difference
OF opinion on the question OF marriage set
Elements.
Private inquiries instituted in England
have informed the baron that my lords
chief income is derived chiefly from what
is called entailed property. In case OF &C
cidents he is surely bound to DO something
fer his bride. Let him, for example, in
sure his life for a sum proposed by the
baron, and let him so settle the money
that his widow will have it if he dies first.
"My lord hesitGtss. The baron wastes
nc time ia useless discussion. Let Us by
all MEANS he says, consider the marriage
as broken off My lord shifts his ground,
and pleads for a smaller sum than the sum
proposed. The baron briefly replies, i
never bargain My lord is in love; the
natural result follows-he gives way.
so far, the baron has no cause to COM
plain. But MY lords turn comes, when
the marriage haa bsen celebrated, and
when the Honeymoon is over. The baron
has Joined the narried pair nj q palace
which they have hired in Venice. He is
still beat on solyIag the problem OF the
philosophers Stone His laboratory is
set no in the v1ults beneath the Palace
30 thau smells IRON chemical experiments
may not incommode the countess in the
1i,ter regioas Oh the house. The Il ohSta'
Gle in the way of his grand discovery il
as usual, the waat OF money. His Posi-
ton at the present time has become truly
critical. He owes debts Of honor 10 gen.
| tlemen IN bis own rank of life which must
positively he paid; aud he proposes, in his
own friendly manner, to borrow the money
Of My lord. My lord positively refuses, in
| the rudesy terms. The baron appiicSt ~ hi
| sister 10 exercise her corjugal i~nlarnce,
She can only answer that her DC:le nus.
| bsud-bei7g no longer ~distractedly in love
with her-nOw appears in his true charac'
ter as one of the meauCst men living. The
sacrifice of the marriage has been made and
mas already proved useless.
Such is the state OF affairs at the open,
ing Of the second act.
The entrance OF the countess suddenly
distprbs the baron's reflections. She il
in n state bordering Oh frenzy. %IuCOhereut
expressions of rage burst from her lips; il
S some time before she can sufficiently
control herself to speak plainly. She has
been doubly insulted- first, by a meniaI
person in her employment; secondly, by
her husband. Her maid, an Euglishwo.
man, has declared that she will serve the
countess no longer. She will give up bel
wages and return at once TO England. Be
ing asked her reason for this strange pro
ceedipg, she ipsolently hints that the
countess service is no service for an honest
woman, since the baron has entered the
house. The countess does what any lady
in her position would do; she Indignantly
dismisses the wretch on the spot.
"My lord, hearing his wife's voice raised
u anger, leaves the study in which he is
cushioned to shut himself up over his
books, and asks what this disturbance
means. The countess informs him of the
outrageous language and conduct of her
maid. My lord not only declares his en-
tire approval of the woman's conduct, but
expresses his w abominable doubts OF
his w;fp's fidelity in lnnpuavp of inch hor.
rible brutality that no lady could pollute
her lips by repeating it. III had been a
man. the countess says, and if l had bad
. weapon in my hand l would have struck
him dead at my feetH
"The Baron, listening silently 30 far,
now speaks: Permit me TO finish the
sentence for you he says. You would
have struck your husband dead at your
feet, aud by that rash act You would have
deprived yourself of the insurance money
settled on the widow-the very money
which is wantad IN relieve your brother